Many devices known in the art must be mounted to tower structures. Examples of tower-mounted devices known in the art include communications devices, transceivers, antennas, weather devices, photocells, cameras, wind turbines, solar devices and other types of sensors and generators. Tower structures on which devices are mounted range from approximately ten feet to several thousand feet in height. Common tower structures are tube shaped or include a structure of lattice members; however, other vertical structures such as trees, posts and buildings may be utilized as tower mounting structures.
In order for a tower-mounted device to function properly, the device must be optimally oriented relative to a pre-determined target. For example, a wind turbine requires a square, level, and plumb surface (relative to the level horizon) at the attachment point in order to allow the device to operate optimally. This enables the wind turbine to pivot or turn into the wind effectively, maximizing the amount of energy that can be converted from kinetic wind energy to electrical power. It is necessary to determine the optimum orientation of the turbine to the wind and to maintain that target orientation level to the horizon (not the ground). A deviation from the optimum orientation greatly compromises the system and introduces inefficiencies.
Similarly, other types of generators, cameras, communications devices, optical systems and sensors all must maintain a constant optimum orientation, depending on the device. For example, a surveillance camera must be mounted relative to the boundaries of the observation range to ensure that objects of interest remain within the camera's field of vision as the camera is rotated.
After installation of a tower mounted device, conditions such as ground settling, wind yawing, or load deflection may cause the mounted device to drift from the original optimal orientation and position, thus reducing the effectiveness and/or efficiency of the device.
Some mounting systems and devices known in the art orient a tower-mounted device by adjusting the entire vertical structure at the ground level. This means of adjustment can prove costly, as well as difficult to accomplish for very high towers. Furthermore, adjusting an entire tower structure in real time is not reasonably possible in the art.
Other mounting systems and devices use extremely complicated mechanical systems to orient the mounted device. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,277,184 to Nies et al. teaches an intricate arrangement of multiple bearings, gears, and adapters used to correctly orient a wind turbine. This system is difficult to fit to existing towers and too complex for an average user to correctly install.
There is an unmet need for a means to maintain optimum orientation of tower mounted devices without requiring manipulation of the tower structure.
There is a further unmet need for a universal tower mounting tool that can be used with a wide range of tower-mounted devices known in the art without requiring custom fabrication, re-engineering or specialized training to achieve orientation of tower-mounted device.